Baltimore will keep hosting the CIAA Basketball Tournament through 2029, locking in years more of the economic boost and homecoming-style energy the event has brought downtown since it first landed in the city. The decision caps a run that began with a pandemic-era virtual tournament and has since grown into one of the city's signature winter draws.
According to WBAL-TV, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association first announced its move to Baltimore in 2019, then held the tournament virtually in 2021 before bringing it in person starting in 2022. Before that, the event spent more than a decade in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to WTOP, which also notes the CIAA is the nation's first and oldest historically Black athletic conference. Baltimore isn't the tournament's only past home, either — WBAL-TV reports the event has also been staged in Washington, D.C.; Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia; and Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Five Years In, Momentum Keeps Building
CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams told CBS News the tournament has now been held in Baltimore for five years, and that momentum remains strong, with fans showing up and ticket sales performing well. The station's report ties that momentum to the city's broader embrace of the event, which brings together all 12 of the conference's men's and women's basketball teams for a slate WTOP describes as 22 games across the tournament week.
As part of the renewed commitment, the CIAA also announced a renewed partnership with Baltimore-based Under Armour, which will supply apparel and footwear to student-athletes during tournament week and beyond, per the same account from WBAL-TV. The scheduling details for the 2026 edition carry some discrepancy between outlets — WBAL-TV reports the tournament running from Feb. 24 to March 1, 2026, while WTOP reports a Feb. 24-28 window, both at the CFG Arena in Baltimore.
The Dollars Behind the Decision
The financial case for keeping the tournament in Baltimore is substantial. WBAL-TV reports the event has generated $109 million in total economic impact for the city over the previous three years. A single recent tournament alone produced a total economic impact of $27.4 million, with $19.8 million in direct spending, 1,487 jobs supported, and $2.4 million generated in state and local taxes, according to the same outlet. WTOP separately reported that the prior year's event generated $27.4 million for the city during its five-day run.
The Baltimore Sun, now in its own account of the tournament's fifth year in the city, describes the event as having become a February staple downtown, drawing roughly 30,000 visitors and millions in economic impact. Beyond the dollar figures, the city, state, Visit Baltimore and the Local Host Committee have made a $1.6 million donation to the CIAA General Scholarship Fund, WBAL-TV reports, underscoring how the tournament's financial success has fed back into student support.
A Tournament Built on Legacy
For CIAA leadership, the Baltimore run has been as much about identity as economics. WTOP's coverage frames the tournament as a showcase for the pride and tradition of historically Black colleges and universities across the East Coast, a theme that has helped the event take on a homecoming feel each winter in downtown Baltimore. With the 2029 commitment now set, the tournament's next several winters in the city are locked in, giving fans, schools and local businesses a clear runway to plan around.
